Classic Poem

I don't know much of religion,
And I ain't a goin' to learn;
But if any one takes up with it,
That there is his own concern.

I'm not the kind of party
As allus goes in for chaff;
If a man does go to meetin',
What call have you to laugh?

But what I do maintain is,
However much you try,
The ways as you've once got in yer
Must come out by and by.

Now there's old Preachin' Charlie —
And this I'm bound to say,
There's no one, barrin' his prayin',
More honest than Charlie Gray.

He's learnt to read, has Charlie,
And spelt the Scripture through;
And to hear him talk about it,
You'd half believe it's true.

And he says as how in heaven
The weary are at peace,
An' the wicked cease from troublin',
An' they don't keep no police.

But he says as how to git there,
You mustn't lie nor drink;
And as that's agin all natur',
They wont see me , I think.

But a fox'll show his breedin'
If there's ever a hen about;
So whenever you riles old Charlie,
His Rommany blood comes out.

The other night I see him;
I went to his house to hide,
For I'd had a bit of a shindy
On yonder cover side.

Says he, " I allus warned you,
But it ain't a bit of use;
Them poachin' tricks you're up to
Will get your neck in a noose. "

Says he, " What were you arter?
The Lord forgive your sin! "
And he fastened up the shutters,
And fetched me out the gin.

Says I, " I was out by moonlight
A lookin' about for a hare,
Or a rabbit or two, or a pheasant,
Or mebbe to set a snare.

" But I see the keepers comin',
And clambered up a tree; " — —
Says Charlie, " May God forgive you!
What a wessel o' wrath you be! "

" Well, they hunted about for a little,
Then all went off but one,
Who stopped behind: " — — Says Charlie,
" What risks them poachers run! "

" Then the moonlight shone upon him,
And who do you think I see,
But the werry self-same ranger
As allus was down on me.

" If I'd a been so much varmint,
He couldn't ha' served me worse;
The — — ! " " Can't you talk, " says Charlie,
" Without a hoath or a curse? "

" Well, arter a bit he rested
His gun agin a stump,
And down I come upon him,
So sudden it made him jump.

" And I took and snatched the gun up,
And put it agin his head;
Says I, " You shout or holloa,
And you're as good as dead!"

" He never moved a muscle,
And I never see him flinch,
Tho' the muzzle touched his forehead
Within a half an inch!

" Says I, " You are a plucked un
And no mistake — and so
If you promise not to follow,
Hang me! but I'll let you go."

" Says he, " I'll do my duty,
Though I knows I am in your power;
But I don't mind if I give you
A start of a half an hour."

" So I hands him back his weapon,
And cuts away like mad;
And here I am! " — — Says Charlie,
" Thank heaven you're safe, my lad!

" But if I had had the handlin'
That gun instead of you,
I'd a taken the butt-end on it,
And smashed his legs in two! "